Russell Westbrook Passes Wilt Chamberlain for 2nd-Most Triple-Doubles in Season

Russell Westbrook's historic 2016-17 season passed another milestone Saturday, as he recorded his 32nd triple-double in the Oklahoma City Thunder's 112-104 win over the Utah Jazz at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The mark puts him alone in second place in the single-season triple-doubles list, passing Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain. Oscar Robertson had a record 41 triple-doubles in 1961-62, the campaign he averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and a league-leading 11.4 assists—the lone full-season triple-double stat line in NBA history.      

Westbrook, 28, entered Saturday averaging 31.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 10.1 assists in an MVP-caliber season.

"I wouldn't care. I hope he [Westbrook] gets it," Robertson told Shaun Powell of NBA.com. "Why should should I care, man? I hope he does. I think it's great to talk about it."

Westbrook scored 33 points despite a 9-of-26 shooting line against the Jazz, adding 14 assists and 11 rebounds.       

Jazz center Rudy Gobert missed the game with leg soreness, and Oklahoma City spent much of the contest taking advantage of the hole in the middle of Utah's defense. The Thunder scored 58 points in the paint and a 43-36 advantage on the boards.

Westbrook has posted triple-doubles in consecutive games, helping OKC to back-to-back wins over Utah and the San Antonio Spurs.

Despite some clamoring that Westbrook chases stats, the Thunder are definitively better in games when he has triple-doubles. They have won the last eight games where Westbrook records one and are 26-6 in such contests this season. Oklahoma City is 11-23 in games Westbrook does not record a triple-double.